Hair dryer hood



Oct. 29, 1957 1.. JACOBUS 2,810,967

HAIR DRYER HOOD Filed Jan. 29, 1957 INVENTORV. /a cob as ATTE/VEY Unite States Patent HAER DRYER HOOD Louis Jacobus, Stamford, Conn, assignor to Ullman Products Corp., Norwalk, (101111., a corporation of Connecticut Appiieation January 29, 1957, Serial No. 636,966 8 Ciairns. (Cl. 34-87) The present invention relates to a hair dryer, and particularly to an electrically heated hair dryer of the type which finds its more general use in beauty parlors or the like establishments, and is particularly directed to the hood or housing of such hair dryer.

It is one object of the present invention to provide hair dryer hood of the character described which may more completely encompass the head of the user to effect more eficient drying without causing any discomfort or uneasiness to the user.

It is another object of the present invention to pro vide a hood for hair dryers of the character described which is easier, safer and more convenient to place about the users head and to remove it therefrom.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer hood of the character described which, though it may be fitted deeply about the users head will not interfere with the users vision and will afford the user greater ease and freedom from discomfort.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hair dryer hood of the character described which will not be put into drying operation until the users head is completely comfortably arranged therein and which may be quickly and easily shut oh by the user herself at the slightest feeling of discomfort.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a hood of the character described which is strong and sturdy and subject to a minimum of vibration from its moving fan and yet of relatively light weight.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the hair dryer hood of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principle and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

Generally stated the invention consists in the provision of a hair dryer hood which has a lower forward portion cut away and which is provided with a transparent visor of arcuate cross-section that is pivoted for movement in and out of the opening left by the cut out portion, and which is provided with an automatic switch connected in the electric circuit of the dryer heater and fan that automatically shuts off such circuit when the visor is raised and is closed by the visor as it is lowered into place.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a hair dryer hood embodying the present invention, with the visor shown in lowered and operative position and partly broken away to illustrate structural details;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 with the visor shown in elevated non-operative position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing details of one embodiice ment of an automatic switch for use with the hair dryer hood of the present invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated embodiment of the hair dryer hood of the present invention, the same comprises a central ring, generally designated as 10, which is preferably made of metal and is formed, preferably, with a cylindrical lower portion 12 and a slightly tapering upper portion 14, and is topped at its upper end by a conical section, 16, likewise preferably made of metal. The upper portion 14 of the ring 1! and its topping cone 16 house the heater elements, air circulating fan and fan motor, all of which may be of conventional type and conventionally supported and arranged, and not thought necessary to be shown or described in detail.

The ring 10 may have secured thereto a bracket 18 that is pivoted on a post 20, which is in turn supported preferably telescopically, on an upright post, in the conventional manner, not thought necessary to be illustrated.

The ring 10 has its lower portion 12 at a point diametrically opposite to the supporting bracket 18, cut away, to form an opening 22, that extends approximately half the height of the ring 10 and slightly less than half its circumference. The lower edge of the ring 10 may have secured thereto an arcuate member 24, which widens preferably in the direction of the cut out 22 and is formed with an inwardly and upwardly curved bottom edge 26 that forms a trough 28.

A visor 30, of a size and shape to fill the opening 22 and complement the circular shape of the ring 10 and of a height to completely fill such opening from the bottom of the member 26 to slightly above the upper edge of the opening 22, is pivotally secured, as by the links 32 secured to the upper corners of the visor 30, and by the pivot pins 34, on the ring 16 in position to be freely raised and tilted to expose the opening 20 or to completely close it, and to rest, when in raised posi tion, by its upper edge on the cone 16. The visor 30 may be provided with an inwardly and upwardly curved bottom edge 38, in conformity to the curved bottom edge 26 of the arcuate member 24.

If desired, a rubber washer 40 may be fitted about the upper edge of the opening 22, and also about its side edges, to form a sealing closure with the visor 30, when the latter is in lowered position. Also, if desired, means may be provided to safely retain the visor 36 in elevated and open position. Such means may comprise automatic hooking means that will automatically engage the visor 30, as it is moved into raised position, such as the forwardly and downwardly directed hook element 42, secured to a central point on the upper edge portion of the visor 30, and a cooperating hook member 44, having a forwardly slanting dependent nose portion 46, which is pivotally secured in suitable position on the cone top 16, and arranged to be engaged by the hook 42, to be automatically raised thereby as it is moved thereagainst, and automatically lowered, by gravity, over the hook 42 as the latter moves past the hook nose 46.

Switch means may be provided on the ring 10, which is connectable in the electric circuit of the heating unit and fan of the drying mechanism that will normally tend to remain open, so as to inactivate the circuit through such dryer mechanism, and will be closed by the visor 3i), as by its weight, as such visor is moved into closing position. Such switch means may comprise a microswitch, 50, or similar device, that is supported on the interior of the housing ring 10, at a point preferably adjacent one of the visor pivots 34. The micro-switch may be of any conventional, suitable type that is spring loaded to normally remain open and has a movable, exteriorly projecting pin or element 52, that may be engaged and moved inwardly to close the circuit through 'and' is'only diagrammatically shown in the drawings.

The switch 50 is preferablysupported with the movable pin 52 in depending position. 7

The ring 10 of the dryer housing isformed with a slot 54, which extends in a direction ,transverselyof the position of one of the visor supporting links 32, when the visor is lowered in place, an d slightly below the micro-switch 50. A lever 56 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, as on brackets 58, secured to the inner face of the ring :10, immediately adjacent'to the slot 54; The lever '56 extends Iinwardly :and outwardly of the ring 10, through the slot 54, in overbalan'ced position and with its inwardly extending part preferably in constant contact with the pin '52, and its other end is engageable by the contiguous link 32, as the visor is lowered, to be tilted further thereby to move the pin'52 upwardly into the switch 50, to close the circuit therethrough.

This completesthe description of :the hair dryer hood of thepresent invention. It will be readily apparentthat such visored hood rendersthe positioning of the 'users head within the hood relatively simpler, easier and more convenient, substantially eliminating the need for manipulating the head or the dryer; that it permits full vision for the user, thereby eliminating any uneasiness that may be felt due to obstruction of vision. It will also be apparent that the visored hood of the present invention possesses substantially the strength and rigidity and the freedom from vibration of an all-metal hood and all the advantages of a transparent plastic, hood.

It will likewise be apparent that the hairdryer hood of the present invention presents advantages of safety and convenience and of aifording reassurance to the user, especially in beauty parlors, where the user is attended by .a beautician, due to the switch that automatically cuts the circuit through the apparatus by the lifting of the jvisor, which may be readily accomplished by the' user without need :for calling or waiting for an attendant.

It will be further apparent that numerous modifica tions and variations in the. hair dryer hood of the presentinvention may be made by any one skilled in the art, in accordance. with the ,principles -of the invention hereinabove set forth and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. Ildesire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of the present invention .and the a scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is: f

1. A hair dryer hood, comprising a tubular open bottom, head receiving portion and a tapering, mechanism housing portionsu'perposed on said tubular portion at its top end, said tubular portion having ahead admitting 4 opening formed therein extending from the edge of its said open bottom, cover means for said opening, means pivotally supporting :said cover on said tubular portion for movement into and out of closing position over said opening, a normally open switch connectable in an electric circuit through said mechanism mounted on said tubular portion, and means :mounted on said tubular portion operable by said cover when lowered into closing position engaging said switch for closing the same. 7

2. A hair dryer hood, comprising, a tubular open bottom, head receiving "portion and V a tapering, mechanism housing portion superposed on the top end of said tubular portion, said' tubular portion having a head admitting opening formedtherein extending from the edge of its open bottom, a cover for said opening, a pair of arms each secured by one end to said cover and pivotally secured by the other end thereof on said tubular portion, said arms being of a length and pivotally secured in position above .and to one side of said opening to dispose said cover over said opening, in one position thereof, and to over-balance and rest it by its upper edge on said tapered portion in the other position thereof.

3. The hair dryer hood of claim 2, wherein means are provided forrelea'sably engaging said cover on said tapered portion when in said second position. j

4. The hair dryer hood of claim 2, 'wherein said cover is transparent.

5. The hair dryer of claim 2, wherein said cover is of a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the shape of the upper edge of said opening and is of a size :to overlap the edges of said opening.

.6. The hair dryer of claim 2, wherein a normally open switch connectable' in 'an' electric circuit through'said mechanism is mounted on said tubular portion and said tubular portion has means mounted thereon operable by said 'coverto close said switch as said cover is lowered into said first n'amed position thereof. h p

7. The hair dryerhood of claim 2, wherein said tubular portion hasan opening formed therein transversely of the path of one of said cover supporting arms as it is moved into cover lowering position, 'a normally open switch connectable 'in an electric circuit through said mechanism .mounted on said tubular portion adjacent said opening, said switch having .a portion movable for closing the circuit .theretlrrough, and an arm pivotally supported on said tubular portion and movable by said cover supporting arm to engage said movable switchportion and move it into circuit closing position.

8. The hair dryer of claim 2, wherein said cover com prises a transparent synthetic plastic material.

References Cited in the filed this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,281,993 Pritchard ,May s, 1942} 2,420,251 :La Foriy'es ,May 6, 1947, 2,776,496

Hudson Jan. 8, 1957; 

